All the ladies love Sexy Blond Elf Boy
by vanilla-chk
Summary: I don't know if anyone else felt slightly abandoned with the exit of Legolas and Gimli at the end of LOTR- well, this is a bit of a continuation of their lives after the war. Two beautiful Elves are after Leggie, and Gimli is...well, you'll find that out
1. Scaring Girls

This is my first story about anything that has to do with Lord of the Rings.and of course, it's about my favorite character: Legolas. Oh man, did he look hott in the Fellowship of the Ring. Oh baby...well, on with the story!  
  
Chapter 1  
  
It was a glaringly bright morning in the forests of the outskirts of Rivendell, the kind that assaulted one's eyes with harsh beams of orange and yellow. The light was filtered into sharp streaks of gold through the thickly vegetated limbs of the trees, and the fresh dew on the grass was slowly evaporating into the thick, strangely cold morning air.  
Legolas slowly peered around the rough, gnarled trunk of a tree and squinted through the imposing sunlight at the object of his affection. She was daintily perched atop a large stone in the middle of a flower-laden clearing, and turned the thin, tan page of an ancient book with deep interest. Legolas cracked a grin: she was so absorbed in her book that she would never hear him sneak behind her. He watched as she absentmindedly tucked a shimmering golden curl behind a pointed ear, and focused her watery blue eyes on a word that must have been smudged and therefore difficult to decipher. Legolas gracefully propelled his light Elvish body onto one of the tree's lower branches, and surveyed the scene: the branch that he was perched atop stretched over the clearing, and reached its end just over the rock that the maiden was sitting on. He crawled on his belly down the branch until he was suspended just over the maiden's head, and keeping his knees hooked over the tree limb he suddenly swung his upper body off the branch and faced the girl upside-down. She let out a shrill shriek of surprise when the fair, blond prince's head appeared just inches before hers, and she tumbled backwards off the rock in shock and anxiety.  
Creladriel's chest was heaving in and out as she shakily brought herself to her feet. "Legolas? Tanya awra, utinu en lokirim!"  
  
Legolas was still hanging upside down with his knees hooked around the branch, and he began to laugh so hard that his muscles loosened and he fell in a heap in the flowery clearing. "I think I fell on my head ..." he groaned through his last remaining spasms of laughter. "But I deserved that."  
  
"Yes, you did. Come, why must you surprise me like that?" demanded Creladriel, standing over him and letting her thin white gown billow in the morning breeze. "You act as such a child sometimes." She offered a hand to help him stand up, but when he took it, instead of climbing to his feet he yanked her into the flowers next to him.  
  
"It is such a beautiful morning," remarked Legolas, lying on his side to gaze at her and flushing pink in the bright morning sun, "Let us enjoy nature rather than be absorbed in silly books." His attention was distracted by something in the distance, and he began to chuckle. "Look, even the birds agree with me." He motioned across the clearing with a smile, and Creladriel noticed several large brown birds pecking and tearing at her book, which was still resting behind the rock where she fell.  
  
"Yee! Shoo, vile creatures! Kela!" She hastily sprung to her feet and, waving her arms madly in the air, sent the birds off in a flurry of feathers. Once the birds had left she huffed over to her now well-tattered book and gingerly tried to piece several of the torn pages back together.  
  
"Don't worry about it; I'm sure Luthisilmé can fix it for you. He's always repairing my bow," offered Legolas, standing up and walking towards where she knelt. Creladriel shook her head in disagreement, and continued to fuss over the ruined book. Legolas placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, but she jerked her arm away and glared up at him.  
  
"All I wanted to do when I woke up this morning was finish reading my story. But because of your absurd games, now I can't do that. In fact, now I can never finish the book because it was the only copy in Middle Earth. Thank you very much, Prince Legolas Greenleaf, your HIGHNESS!" She brought herself up from her kneeling position, carefully picked up her destroyed book, and threw it as far as she could into the forest.  
  
"Creladriel, tampa tanya! Why did you do that? I told you that it could be repaired!" cried Legolas, squinting his keen Elvish eyes into the surrounding trees but failing in his effort to spot the lost book. "Would you like me to retrieve it for you?"  
  
Angry and astonished, Creladriel gaped at the tall elf. "No, I do not! That is why I threw it!" Legolas stepped back at these harsh words and furrowed his brow in remorse.  
  
"I did not mean to upset you, little one. I- I am deeply sorry about your book," he offered, dropping his wide shoulders in sorrowful defeat.  
  
The Elf-maiden hissed in disbelief and, with a defiant flip of her long golden curls, sharply turned heel and walked into the forest towards the valley of Rivendell.  
  
Legolas silently watched her leave. He didn't think she wanted him to follow her. 


	2. Mysterious Noises?

Mmm. I love cranberry juice. And Legolas.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
With a heavy heart, Legolas tramped slowly through the slightly damp underbrush of the forest. The sun was making its way up the sky, and the reflections from streaks of golden light that glimmered past the leaves of the trees were shifting their positions on the forest floor. Several small creatures being chased by a larger animal screamed and scattered across thick, leafy branches, but Legolas paid no mind. He was too busy pondering the morning's events.  
Being several thousand years old, it was just about time for him to begin courting somebody. He'd had his eye on the beautiful Creladriel for some time, but he had always been curious if she felt the same way about him. However, now, as of the way that she'd acted towards him this morning, he was quite sure that she harbored a strong dislike for him. He growled in frustration and kicked a small rock out of his path. Suddenly, his keen Elvish hearing picked up what sounded like a muffled cry coming from several hundred yards behind him. Legolas stood frozen in the woods, straining his ears to discern what exactly the sound was.  
  
'Get away from me! Amin feuya ten' lle, don't touch me!'  
  
'You know you want it. C'mere, lass!'  
  
Deciding that the first voice that he'd heard came from somebody in danger, Legolas hurried towards the direction from which the sounds seemed to be coming from. Using the athletic prowess that only an Elf could possess, he leapt gracefully over upturned roots and fallen trees at a startling pace.  
Shortly he arrived at an intense scene deep in the heart of the forest: A strange young Elf maiden was struggling pitifully against two brusque, filthy, roguish Men, who were shouting obscenities and tearing at her skirts.  
  
"Somebody help! Get off of me, you rogues! Yee! Llie n'vanima ar' lle atara lanneina!" she cried as she beat furiously at their groping hands.  
  
At the horrifying sight of an attempted rape (which Legolas had never seen before, he had never even seen a bare female arm) Legolas sprung into action, pulling out an arrow from his quiver and stabbing one of the overweight, lusty Men with it, then ripping out that same bloody arrow to shoot the second unshaven Man with his bow. The two Men fell limp to the earth with the icy chill of death at their feet, and the maiden sunk to the ground in shock and weariness.  
Elf maidens were traditionally not taught the ways of battle or strength; instead they were expected to learn the fine arts of sorcery and clothes-making. This standard proved devastating when a maiden found herself alone in a dark corner or grove, and so it was completely necessary to have a lord escort his maiden at all times to all places - Legolas did not understand why this particular maiden was without her lord in the middle of a forest. He hurried towards where she was crumpled on the forest floor and knelt besides her.  
  
"Miss? Miss, are you alright? Where is your lord?" he asked. She was curiously silent, so he gently lifted her chin so that she could face him. She was indeed as fair as Creladriel, although presently her face was streaked with dirt and blood. Her sharp emerald eyes were brimming with unshed tears, and he noticed that the skin around one of them was blackened and swollen. "I am so sorry ...," he offered, innocently caressing her cheek with his hand. At this she burst into a fit of tears, and buried her face in Legolas's shoulder to muffle her sobs. He put an arm around her, and she sunk into the security and comfort of his strong, warm body.  
After a few minutes of muffled weeping, she gradually calmed down and looked up at her savior. The maiden gasped and drew back; she instantly recognized the tall blond Elf as the famous Prince Legolas of Mirkwood, who was as widely praised for his integral role in the ancient War of the Ring as he was for his fair features and virtuous nature.  
  
"P-prince Legolas! The honor is great to behold a creature so valiant and respected- I'll be on my way- SO sorry to have troubled you, I- I- I shouldn't have been wandering alone and I drew you out of your royal duties. Oio naa elealla alasse', Lle naa curucuar." The maiden scrambled bashfully out of his comforting embrace and curtseyed deeply.  
  
Legolas laughed and quickly brought himself to his feet. "You did not trouble me, Miss, I was happy to be of assistance. And please, don't leave; I wish to know more about you. What is your name, and why was there no Elf accompanying you?"  
  
She blushed, and politely obliged. "I have no lord. My mother constantly hounds me to find one, but- well, I am sure that you don't care about the private life of a simple female like me. Oh, and my name is Caleninin." Legolas smiled when she said this; caleninin meant "greenest" in common Elvish, and that term certainly applied to her eyes: they held the same sparkle and hue of a finely cut emerald.  
  
When Caleninin noticed that Legolas was gazing into her eyes as if entranced, she blushed even redder than before and cleared her throat. Legolas suddenly found himself staring at her, and hurriedly snapped his mind back to more important matters. "You are hurt, little one. I would greatly appreciate it if you came back to Rivendell with me; I know that Elrond could heal you within minutes."  
  
Caleninin shook her head no. "I cannot bring myself to put such a burden upon you and your host. You have already done so much for me," she reasoned, shakily fingering the torn hem of her dress with bloodstained fingers.  
  
"It would bring me no burden. Come, you will be welcome." Legolas motioned for her to follow him, but instead she stood nervously in place. "Why are you so reluctant?" asked Legolas, turning his head to one side in curiosity.  
  
Caleninin didn't answer. "You realize that I cannot simply leave you here," reasoned Legolas.  
  
The maiden remained silent, and Legolas began to grow frustrated. "It is too dangerous here. If you accompany me, I can protect you."  
  
Finally Caleninin succumbed to the will of the Prince, and she held out her hand. Legolas took it and bowed, then gently pulled her towards him and placed his other hand on the small of her back (as was the appropriate way for a lord to lead his lady). He carefully led her over the large roots and heavy stones as they made their way towards the valley of Rivendell. 


	3. In Rivendell

Oh the last chapter was so cheesy. You want some crackers with that cheese?  
  
Chapter 3  
  
With great effort, Caleninin strained to open her eyes. She could tell that she was in a small, brightly lit room ... the ceiling was made of a rich, dark wood with small figures intricately carved into it ... birds were chirping somewhere outside ... and she could hear somebody turn the page of a book.  
She quickly jerked up her head to see who was reading in her room, but as soon as she lifted herself up a dull pain shot down her spine and she cried out in agony.  
  
"Tira ten' rashwe! Be careful!" Legolas immediately closed his book and laid her upper body back onto the pillow. "Do not strain yourself, little one," he said, stroking her forehead soothingly, "Your injuries were invisible but great in severity, and so Master Elrond spared no expense in medicating you. He advises against any sudden movements for the next several days." Legolas tucked the thick, velvety bed-sheets tightly around Caleninin's body, and then sunk back down into his chair beside her bed. "You are beautiful when you are asleep," he complimented as he relaxed into the chair, a warm smile glowing on his handsome face.  
  
Caleninin blushed and giggled. "How can I hope to heal with all this flattery?" she joked, coercing a laugh out of Legolas. "But thank you so much for saving me. I do not know if I can ever fully repay you, but I will try."  
  
"There is no need to repay me. It was my pleasure to help you." Just then there was a knock at the door. "Tula," answered Legolas, and a tall, slender, gorgeous Elf-maiden hesitantly stepped into the room. Her hair hung in shimmering golden curls, and her intricately patterned blue gown flattered her graceful feminine curves. Caleninin noticed Legolas flush red and swallow nervously, and wondered if there was something between him and this strange new person.  
  
"Creladriel, 'Quel amrun," he greeted, his deep blue eyes twinkling. "This is Caleninin. I found her in the forest."  
  
Creladriel glanced down at the brown-haired Elf-maiden with a faint look of disdain. "In the forest? And she was alone, wasn't she?" Creladriel walked over to the bed and sat daintily on the edge of it. "What were you doing there?" she asked Caleninin, who tried to think of a witty response but instead found pain and winced. Legolas noticed this immediately and placed a gentle hand on poor Caleninin's shoulder.  
  
"She is highly medicated, Creladriel. She must not strain herself to think. Perhaps we shall ask when she is well," he kindly offered. Creladriel stared curiously at Caleninin for several more seconds, and then glanced up at Legolas.  
  
"I need to talk to you about what happened yesterday morning. Alone." She jerked her head towards Caleninin, but Legolas just shrugged.  
  
"She does not know what we are talking about, so it will not do any harm if she listens. Plus, I am not sure if she is fully coherent," he said, wiping a bit of drool off Caleninin's cheek. "The anesthetic toxins of the maljessan plant should be coming into effect any moment now, and those tend to render a patient slightly... vacant."  
  
At these words, Caleninin began to giggle and snort hysterically. "You so pretty with your pretty blond hair... so shiny," she slurred to Legolas, running her hand through his long hair and gazing at him dreamily. At first this seemed to unsettle him, and he shifted uncomfortably in his chair.  
  
"Yes, I believe the plant's properties should be working presently," he concluded, arching an eyebrow as he watched Caleninin suck noisily on her index finger.  
  
Creladriel tapped him on the shoulder. "So, about yesterday morning," she began, leaning forward towards Legolas as soon as she had his full attention. "I am sorry for growing angry with you, and I hope that I did not offend you. Do you resent me for it?"  
  
Legolas smiled softly, and shook his head no. "I do not resent you. I realize that I may have provoked you into losing your temper, and I apologize."  
  
Suddenly they were interrupted with a loud slurping noise. Apparently, in her drugged state, Caleninin joyfully discovered that she could fit more than one finger in her mouth. She messily sucked on three of her fingers and snickered devilishly. Creladriel withdrew from her seat on the foot of the bed in disgust and made sure to stand at least three feet away from the temporarily psychotic Elf-maiden.  
  
Legolas sighed, pulled Caleninin's fingers out of her mouth, and wiped them off on her bed sheets. "Be STILL, little one. Hush."  
  
Creladriel cleared her throat loudly. "I accept your apology, and offer mine," she said, trying to continue the discussion that they were carrying before Caleninin interrupted. These were the polite phrases that Elves used to solve conflicts. Both parties had to clear their resentments and have their apologies accepted for the argument or skirmish to be formally settled.  
  
"I accept your apology," answered Legolas. "I will stay here with Caleninin until she is well. If you seek me, then you know where I can be found."  
  
Creladriel nodded, then swiftly turned heel and strode gracefully out of the room. Legolas fell back into his comfortable armchair at Caleninin's beside, and picked up the book that he had dropped onto the floor. It was titled "Stories of Strange Friendships", and it sorely reminded him of Gimli, his dwarf-friend and greatest companion. After the War of the Ring, he and Gimli traveled all over Middle Earth together and managed to sail over nearly every sea. They knew each other so well that they could probably write entire novels about a single facet of the other's personality. There wasn't a single quirk or secret about Legolas that Gimli didn't know about, nor any that Legolas not know about Gimli. Unfortunately, Gimli met his tragic end several years ago in a hunting incident when he stepped in the way of one of Legolas's arrows. Filled with dark guilt, Legolas did not speak for a long time afterward. It was only recently that he began to converse openly with his Elvish friends.  
  
The soft afternoon light had long ago faded into a deep twilight, and the songs of nightingales and crickets could be heard clearly outside the room. Caleninin had fallen into a drug-induced slumber hours ago, and Legolas had long since finished the book he was reading. Now slightly bored, he perched in his chair and watched Caleninin's chest slowly rise and fall. Having nothing else very interesting to look at, he continued to watch her for several more minutes before he too felt the dull weight of sleepiness. He climbed out his armchair, stretched, then sprawled out on the bed next to Caleninin and fell promptly asleep. 


	4. Boobies!

Yay! I really like that last chapter. Isn't that sad how Gimli died? Poor Legolas. I need to build more on that guilty emotion of his, just to make it more dramatic. Heh.  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Caleninin rolled over in her sleep, but woke up with a start when she collided with something firm and warm. Startled, she thrust open her eyes and hastily sat up against her pillow. It was Legolas, and he was curled up in quiet slumber besides her. She sighed in relief, but only to let out another gasp of surprise when she looked down: apparently Elrond must have needed to remove her torn skirts in order to mend her injuries, so now she was sitting in bed completely naked. Although Legolas was asleep and couldn't see her bare skin, she still scrambled deep under the thick covers in shame.  
Ten minutes later, she came to the painful realization that she couldn't leave the bed without running the risk of anybody seeing her without her clothes on. Because Legolas was lying atop the sheets, she couldn't pull them off the bed and use them to cover herself while she searched for some decent robes. She sighed, and flopped her head back onto the pillow. Maybe she could ask Legolas to go get her some...  
  
Caleninin ventured an arm out from under the covers and lightly shook Legolas's shoulder. "Excuse me? Prince Legolas, wake up!"  
  
Being an Elf and therefore an extremely light sleeper, Legolas woke up immediately. "Good morning, Miss," he said with a yawn. "I'm afraid I grew too weary last night to journey across the Valley to my own chambers, so I just stayed here for the night. I hope I have not offended you with my presence." He sat up and stretched slowly and gracefully, like a feline. However, when he turned his keen glance on Caleninin he let out a sharp cry of surprise and shielded his eyes.  
  
"Y-you might want to pull up those blankets a bit, I am afraid you are a bit- erm, exposed."  
  
Caleninin glanced down to see that the bed sheets had fallen almost to her bellybutton. She must have inadvertently sat up and forgotten that she was unclothed while Legolas was stretching. She shrieked and pulled the blankets tightly around her neck, then dared to slowly look up at Legolas. He was now standing in the far corner of the room, facing the wall with his hand still over his eyes.  
  
"Could you... maybe... get me some clothes?" asked Caleninin in a small, humiliated voice.  
  
"Yes, yes of course. I'll send for a maid." Keeping his hand over his eyes, he carefully treaded backwards towards where he assumed the doorway was.  
  
"You can take your hand off your eyes," said Caleninin, fighting off an urge to laugh when Legolas backed into a wall. "I'm completely covered up now."  
  
He cracked open the fingers of the hand that was covering his eyes, and when he saw that only Caleninin's head was peeking out of the covers he blushed and smiled weakly. "Certainly you are." He then turned towards the door, and shouted, "Nurthedel! Tula sínome, asca!"  
  
Light footfalls were heard outside the chamber door, and then a small, meek human girl stepped cautiously into the room. She was draped in the finest of Elven garments, yet her hair was disheveled and her eyes were wide with fear. "Your M-majesty, how may I be of service to you?" she asked, curtseying deeply.  
  
"Have a female tailor come immediately, and tell her to bring her measuring tools. Then find a maiden named Detlwen and tell her to come to the infirmary chamber with plenty of fabric in hand. Oh, but first: you'll find a girl named Creladriel in the West Hall. Tell her that Legolas needs to borrow one of her gowns, and that it would be quite a favor to him. Her kindness will not go without reward." The girl stood there for several seconds after Legolas told her what her duties were, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet and shaking slightly.  
  
"Nurthedel, go. Now," sternly commanded Legolas, and with a small frightened yelp the human child sprinted feverishly out of the room and almost tumbled down the stairs in her haste.  
  
"Sir!" exclaimed a rather flustered Caleninin, who was still burrowed under the covers of the bed. Legolas turned around to see her staring at him indignantly. "Why were you not kinder to that human? She seemed so frightened of you!"  
  
Legolas sighed, and sat on the bed next to Caleninin. "I cannot be overly kind to that child; she would not be able to understand why I was doing so. She is severely neurotic. A friend of mine, Girdonan, found her almost dead at the edge of a nearby creek, and when Elrond revived her she would not eat, drink, nor speak to us. It has been years since Girdonan first brought her here, and she has taken great strides since. Now that she has the privilege of being a serving maid, we must be stern in order for her to go about her duties normally."  
  
At this Legolas grew very quiet, and he looked up to regard Caleninin very seriously. "That is why I brought you here, little one, instead of to my home in Mirkwood. Rivendell is a healing place."  
  
Caleninin nodded in understanding. "So that is why I am here. But are there no hospitals in Mirkwood? It seems strange that you would stray so far away from your home just for an insignificant stranger like me."  
  
Legolas bit his lip, and a strange mournful glow shone in his bright elvish eyes. "No, I brought you here because I was staying at Rivendell myself. I, too, needed to be healed."  
  
Caleninin cocked her head. "What did YOU need to be healed of? Battle wounds?" Her eyes grew wide and gleamed at the prospect of hearing a story about the War of the Ring.  
  
"You could say that. However they were not physical wounds, they were wounds of the heart. I am afraid a terrible thing happened several years ago that I am loath to discuss. After- the incident, I did not speak for many years- in fact, you are the fifth creature that I have spoken to since." No matter how mundane the statement, Elves had a way with words; certainly Legolas most of all. Caleninin was left with her mouth agape and her mind furiously wondering what could have happened to such a pure, beautiful creature.  
  
"I- I am? What happened to you?"  
  
He made a small noise in his throat and averted his eyes, then quickly leapt off the bed and strode across the room. "The tailor is here. I have made certain that she is female, so you may stray from the bed without anxiety. I will be waiting outside the room if you need anything." He stepped rapidly out of the room and tightly shut the heavy doors. Caleninin could hear hushed voices speaking outside the chambers in soft, lilting Elvish, and she could discern that one of the voices belonged to Legolas.  
  
Are you the tailor that I sent for?  
  
Yes, I am. Where is my subject? It was a female voice, just as Legolas had promised.  
  
Within.  
  
There was a long silence, and then the tailor spoke in a softer, more caring tone.  
  
It gladdens my heart to see you speaking freely, Prince Legolas. I see that the healing powers of Rivendell work quickly on such a valiant Elf as yourself. Perhaps this subject of mine is more than a friend of yours?  
  
I have only just met her; we have not had the chance to properly court. I do not even know if she will stay here after she is clothed and fed. Then he added something in a different dialect of Elvish that Caleninin did not understand.  
  
It was a great honor to converse with you, your Majesty.  
  
May your day be filled with mirth. That was the traditional, polite Elvish goodbye. I will be standing here if there are any questions.  
  
Yes, my liege.  
  
The chamber doors swung open, and an Elf-maiden with flaming red hair strode gallantly into the room. In her hands were various tools and supplies, and on her fair face was a bright smile.  
  
"Good morning! Are you ready to be fitted? It is quite serendipitous that you arrived yesterday, because I am the only female tailor in Middle Earth and I am to be staying here in Rivendell for this week only." She threw her tools onto the bed next to Caleninin, and clapped her hands twice.  
  
"Well? Get out of bed. There is no need to be ashamed now that his Majesty is gone."  
  
*** 


	5. The REAL story

I tried to get a little scandalous in that last chapter without turning my story into a lemon. Ya like?  
  
Chapter 5  
  
The gleaming midday sun cast shimmering rays of light across the valley of Rivendell. Fingering his green elf stone, Glorfindel leapt off the edge of a high balcony and landed primly on his feet on the smooth patio that overhung the river. He spotted the visiting elfish royalty, Legolas, staring dreamily into the intense blue summer sky.  
  
"Pardon!" called Glorfindel. Legolas turned around to face him, his blond hair reflecting the bright sunlight like white molten metal. "Your Majesty, I am curious about the strange maiden you have brought here to be healed."  
  
"What would you like to know?" asked Legolas.  
  
"Where is her home? What is her last name? Of what Elvin race is she?"  
  
"I am not certain. She has not been in her right mind, Glorfindel. You must understand: the Men who attacked her were not frugal with their blows. She is recovering quickly with Elrond's powers of healing, but the medication used to dull the pain was strong. I have not had the opportunity to ask her anything yet. However she spoke my native Sindarin dialect, so possibly she is of my kindred."  
  
Glorfindel shook his head darkly. "These are evil times. Middle Earth is just beginning to heal after the scourge of Sauron, and all but a few scattered Elves have already sailed over the Sea to our true home. We few remaining cannot trust strangers to our beds and infirmaries."  
  
Legolas cast his gaze downward, and sighed heavily. "She is clothed by this hour. I will go and kindly interrogate her, if that is your wish." Glorfindel nodded approvingly, and Legolas swung himself up onto a high beam and jogged across it towards the Rivendell infirmaries.  
  
The tailor had just finished measuring Caleninin for a new dress, and just as she was leaving the room with her charts and tools, Creladriel walked in carrying an intricately stitched gown. She gently set it down on the bed next to where a nude Caleninin was sitting, and sat down next to her.  
  
"His Majesty asked me to bring you one of my dresses until the tailor had sown you a new one." She picked up the dress and laid it across Caleninin's lap. It was a soft lavender color, and made out of the finest silk Caleninin had ever felt. "This was given to me from King Thranduil of Mirkwood before he departed over the Sea. That is Legolas's father, you know." Caleninin nodded shyly, and felt Creladriel's burning gaze upon her. "Why do you avert your eyes?"  
  
Caleninin looked up and brushed a strand of chestnut brown hair off her cheek. "You intimidate me."  
  
Creladriel raised an eyebrow, but chuckled softly. "You and Legolas share the same brutal honesty. Once when I asked him how my hair would look shorter, he told me that he would rather court a maiden than a lord. The nerve!"  
  
"You are courting?" Caleninin's eyes grew wide and the color drained from her face at the prospect of such a gentle person being in love with the fierce Creladriel. "Him and...you?"  
  
Creladriel's knuckles whitened, and she swallowed hard. "Is that so hard to believe?" She seemed to calm down a bit, and tossed her hair nonchalantly. "Anyway, I am not sure that we are still courting. Something happened a few days ago, and I stormed off. He was being such an irritating child."  
  
"He seemed nice when he found me," chirped Caleninin with a nostalgic grin. "He was so skilled with those arrows." She blushed and wrung her hands nervously just then, and slowly looked up to meet the blond Elf maiden's icy glare. "Seeing as you are not courting anymore...would you mind if I spent time with him- if you know what I mean?"  
  
Creladriel's jaw dropped. Just as she was about to rip away the dress that Caleninin was holding, she heard light footfalls behind her.  
  
"Quel andune, ladies." It was Legolas. He was robed in unassuming white cotton; none would have guessed his glorious reputation as one of the Fellowship of the Ring. He smiled softly just then, and Caleninin felt her heart melt. "Creladriel, if you do not mind, I must speak with Caleninin alone." Creladriel cast one last hostile glance upon Caleninin, then swiftly left the room and closed the heavy wooden doors.  
  
Caleninin had left the security of the bedsheets while only women were in the room with her, but now that a large male was standing behind her she instinctively crossed her arms over her chest. "I have not yet clothed myself. If you would turn around or cover your eyes-" Legolas nodded before she could finish her sentence and stood facing the wall in the far corner of the room.  
  
"Glorfindel was wondering if I could ask you a few questions," began Legolas nervously- he couldn't seem to get the image of Caleninin being unrobed that morning out of his head, so actually talking to her turned out to be quite a feat. "What is your last name? Where are you from? Why were you alone in the forest? And lastly, what ethnicity are you?" He flushed when he heard the rustle of fabric behind him; she must have just stood up to get dressed.  
  
"Well first, my name is not Caleninin. I told you that because I was not sure if we were truly alone in the forest, and I did not want anybody to know my whereabouts- else I would be sent straight home. My real name is Laicaliel Silverblossom, and I used to live in your father's kingdom- that is how I spoke your dialect. I was alone in the forest because I was escaping my parents; they want me to marry somebody that I do not love." Just them Legolas felt a gentle tap on his shoulder, and he turned around to see that Laicaliel was dressed and standing behind him.  
  
He gasped when he saw her wearing the beautiful lavender silk gown. "My mother sewed that entire gown by hand...she made it for my bride." He slowly looked up to meet Laicaliel's gaze, and although his eyes were shining sadly, he was smiling broadly. "She finished it the day she was murdered. I dreamed of the hour I would behold it on the figure of a beautiful maiden. Although in the dream..." Immediately he blushed even redder than before (now being completely embarrassed) and covered his face with his hands. "I apologize for getting so.feminine and emotional. It is because that dress holds so many memories." He looked up again, and asked, "Wait- did Lady Creladriel let you borrow that?" Laicaliel nodded. "I want you to keep it. I would rather see it on you-" he touched her cheek "- than on her. It just seems right to have you wear it, although I have only known you for several days."  
  
Laicaliel couldn't help but throw her arms around him and squeeze him as tight as she could. At first his body was rigid because he had never been hugged like that by a lady before, but slowly he softened and wrapped his arms snugly around her back. He smiled. "I heard what you and Creladriel were talking about before I came into the room," he murmured into her hair. "And I think it would be wonderful to spend time with you- and I do know what you mean."  
  
Suddenly a clear, feminine voice echoed in the doorway behind them. "I forgot my bracelet." Laicaliel wasn't tall enough to look over Legolas's shoulder to see who had just come into the room, but she immediately recognized the voice to be Creladriel's. As if they were doing something illicit, the two Elves broke apart and fidgeted nervously under Creladriel's savage stare.  
  
"So I guess you two are courting now. Your Majesty, did we ever officially stop courting?"  
  
Legolas's mouth silently opened and closed like a fish gasping for water. For the first time in his life, he could think of absolutely nothing to say.  
  
"I do not think it is lawful for a lord to be courting two maidens at once."  
  
Legolas finally found speech. "I am not courting two maidens at once."  
  
The anger in Creladriel's expression lifted and was replaced by curiosity. "Then who exactly are you courting?"  
  
His trademark smug grin appeared. "Laicaliel Silverblossom, lady of Mirkwood."  
  
Creladriel screwed up her face. "WHO? Have you had this maiden on the side during our entire courtship?" Suddenly Laicaliel giggled. "Why are you laughing? You were just rejected by this utinu en lokirim."  
  
Laicaliel gathered her courage and crossed her arms defiantly. "He is no "son of snakes" as you so kindly put it. He is referring to me, Laicaliel Escoria Silverblossom of Elfagar and Yulmë Silverblossom of Northern Mirkwood. Pleased to make your acquaintance," she said, curtseying deeply.  
  
Creladriel paled and swallowed hard. She glanced helplessly from Laicaliel to Legolas, then ran out of the room and slammed the doors behind her. 


	6. Running Away

Chapter 6  
  
Laicaliel skipped across the three slick, wet rocks that spanned the meager creek and landed with a giggle on the other side. She was now in the lightly forested area that surrounded most of the Rivendell valley. It was late spring, and the air was thickened with the perfume of wild herbs and flowers. Thyme and parsley sprouted up in random, bedraggled patches about her dainty elven feet, and everything around her seemed to glow a minty green color. She leaned over to sample the scent of a luscious yellow- blossomed vine that wrapped around a nearby tree, then eagerly skipped off into the tame afternoon wilderness.  
Of course Legolas wasn't about to let her roam the forest alone, at least not after the sordid events of their chance meeting. But he didn't know that Laicaliel ever left Rivendell last night. After she was fully healed and the infirmary was no longer necessary, Laicaliel had been moved to a room near the Mirkwood Prince's royal quarters, and sneaking past his room last night around midnight was like tiptoeing across extremely thin ice. She had packed a light meal very late in the evening, and once the moon was high in the sky she escaped. She expected that now Legolas was probably going out of his mind looking for her, and maybe was starting to suspect that she had been kidnapped. She glanced at the sky- judging by the sun's position, it was probably about four hours past noon.  
Although she did not want to admit it to herself, deep inside she felt a little afraid. Her somewhat recent attack was still painfully fresh on her mind, and a small part of her mind wished Legolas was there to protect her. He was so tall, so noble, so powerful...she felt wonderfully small and safe when she was with him. However, she was raised as a very strong-willed, independent person, and she needed to be alone once in a while. Laicaliel stopped at the edge of a thin pool veiled with flowered vines and overhanging willow branches. The surface of the pool was like a grey, glassy metal. She could easily make out the reflection of a fair, pale face with shocking green eyes and dark brown hair that reached the center of her back. She smiled timidly at herself, and then kicked a stone into the pool with the end of her toe. The reflection was shattered and her lovely image broke into thousands of gruesome, distorted fragments.  
  
"I think I heard something over here."  
  
"Her father will be outraged when we return her to him. I almost feel sorry for the lass."  
  
"It serves her justly, treacherously stealing away from her village that night! She ought to be severely punished. Put into confinement with the rats until she learns where her place is in our society."  
  
"I have heard how it is in other places, Luiduin. Outside of our small village in Mirkwood, they let maidens do whatever they want. It is no matter to wonder why Laicaliel tried to run to Lothlorien. They have a Queen."  
  
Laicaliel sprinted out of her small shelter and dashed into the forest before she could hear any more of the Elves' conversation. She recognized two of the voices as Luiduin and Corogir, her father's close friends. The third voice wasn't as clear and musical as the other voices; it must have belonged to a Man. She knew that they wouldn't harm her if they captured her, but she had no desire to return home to her father and the Elf who wished to marry her. As she leapt gracefully over rocks and thorny knolls, she prayed that somebody from Rivendell would find her and explain her dilemma to her pursuers.  
  
"Oi!" The voice of Corogir was now very audible, as if he was only a few yards behind her. "There she is!" The rapid footfalls of heavy males crashed through the dry underbrush. Laicaliel, now fully panicked, yelped and scrambled up a sheer stone wall. She kicked off the groping hands that were trying to drag her off the low cliff and pulled herself atop the flat level stone.  
  
"There is no need for you to bring me home! I have found a new suitor in Rivendell, and I will happily wed him!" As she was saying this to the three people below her, her mind was furiously debating whether to stay atop the cliff and try to reason with the elves and the man or attempt to flee to Elrond's house in the valley.  
  
"Your father's quarrel with you is not whether or not you marry somebody; it is whether or not you marry Beldan. He is quite a rich, important noble! You are extremely lucky he finds interest in you- if you wed him, you may even meet the royal family of Thranduil." Corogir was the most patient, sensible one of the party of three, and so he was chosen to reason with Laicaliel thus.  
  
"But I HAVE met the royal family! Did I not mention that my suitor was the valiant and most honorable Prince Legolas?"  
  
The three men stared up at her for several quiet moments before bursting into raucous laughter. "You? A peasant girl has won the heart of the fair Prince?" cried Luiduin. He and the strange Man doubled over in laughter while Corogir fought to maintain his composure.  
  
"It is not wise to fabricate lies, my lady- especially those as preposterous as that. Please be sensible and come back home with us." Corogir smiled weakly and held out a peaceful hand, but Laicaliel spat upon him and sprinted away from them along the edge of the cliff. It led westward for some meters before it dropped off into a river and a clearing, and Laicaliel intended to follow it for as long as it would take her.  
  
"Foolish girl!"  
  
"What are you waiting for? Follow her!"  
  
Laicaliel ran as fast as her slender legs would carry her. She finally came to the desperate edge of the stone- indeed it dropped off into a river, but a thin pillar of the same stone stood at the edge of the meadow on the other side of the thin river that separated it from its kindred. It was a lonely, miserable spurt of dark rock, but it was the last place that the Elf maiden could find refuge from her pursuers. She easily leapt across the stretch of river, and then meadow, which separated the two bodies of stone. There was only enough room atop the level rock for one person, so she was quite sure that Corogir, Luiduin, and the Man had no way to reach her. The only problem was how to get safely off the rock and back to Rivendell without being caught.  
  
Finally three male figures reached the place where the rock dropped off into the river, and stared wantonly at the girl who was perched defiantly atop the tall, thin pillar of grey stone.  
  
The Man was the first to speak. "Please, give yourself up and come home with us. There's no way that you can escape that rock, and there's no way that we can take you from it by force. You've gotta come to us of your own accord."  
  
Next Luiduin spoke up. "There is no one here to save you, Laica. Your imaginary suitor will not hew us down and carry you off into the sunset. If you stay on that rock like a stubborn hobbit-pony, you will die of thirst or hunger. That platform is so diminutive that you cannot even sit down. Do you intend to stand there until your legs give out and you fall to your death?"  
  
"I beg you, milady." This was Corogir, her father's closet friend. He was generous and kind, and had seen thousands of crimson autumns under the Mirkwood sun. His daughter, Galaina, was Laicaliel's best friend, though she had not seen her since the escape from her village. "Will you not ease your father's anxiety, and return home to marry Beldan?"  
  
Laicaliel sighed heavily through her nostrils, and tightened her hands into stubborn fists. "No."  
  
Luiduin groaned in exasperation, and the strange Man fell lazily on his bottom. "Great," snapped Luiduin, "We shall be here for days." He joined the man on the stone shelf and pulled a flask out of his pocket. "You best sit with us, Corogir. This girl will resist us as long as she remains conscious."  
  
Corogir shifted his weight uncertainly, and gazed pleadingly at his dear friend's daughter. "We will not harm you, little one. We only wish to help you, I promise. It is in your best wishes to return home. Please, heed us."  
  
Laicaliel almost felt sorry for the honorable Elf, and sorely wished that Legolas would somehow find her so that he could prove her story true. She knew that whatever she would say to the three males would not be believed, so it was no use trying to convince them of anything without solid proof. "I am sorry. It does not matter what you say to me, I will not go with you."  
  
Corogir stared at her mournfully for several seconds, thinking that she must have gone insane since she left Mirkwood, and resignedly plunked down on the cliff edge next to Luiduin. Indeed, they would be sitting there for nearly a week watching the poor girl pout upon the stone pillar.  
  
***  
It was three days since Laicaliel had disappeared and, as she had predicted, Legolas was driving himself mad searching for her. He had turned the entire valley of Rivendell upside down in his anxiety, and was starting to annoy some of its inhabitants. They all had their separate opinions, and each Elf was more eager than the last to share theirs with the Prince.  
  
"Maybe she left you. Is that so hard to believe?" "Perhaps she simply went out for a stroll." "I think I saw her at supper last night." "Last night? Last night I think I saw her sitting near the fountain." "No, she left three days ago." "Legolas, you need to leave her alone. She probably just got sick of you hounding her." "This Laicaliel was a shifty character anyway. She is best forgotten." "Who is Laicaliel?"  
  
Soon he grew weary of waiting for her to appear in the Valley, so on the morning of the fifth day he set out to look for her in the forest. He packed lembas, plenty of fresh water, his cloak, a blanket, and of course: a length of rope. If there was anything that he learned from Samwise the hobbit during their travels together, it was to always carry plenty of rope. "You never know when you might need it, even ask my old Gaffer," Sam used to say. He missed Sam. He missed everybody. They were his first non- Elven friends, and they shared so many exciting memories together...but it had been many years since the breaking of the Fellowship and the destruction of the One Ring, and all his companions were dead. It was times like these that Legolas scorned his immortality; it was so painful to watch beautiful things fade and disappear.  
Of course, not all of the members of the Fellowship died around the same time. It took Aragorn many, many years to finally cease existing, as did it take the hobbits. Gimli the Dwarf was the last survivor (aside from Legolas), but his was the only death that was unnatural. Legolas quickly shook the first inklings of Gimli out of his troubled mind and focused on the expedition for his lady. He hated to think about Gimli's death, because it was during their travels together whence it occurred. They were deep in the Fangorn forest when Gimli decided he was hungry for meat, and he asked Legolas to snipe a creature with one of his arrows. Of course Legolas did not eat meat, and loathed killing innocent creatures for it, but he would do anything that his friend asked of him and so obliged.  
He was skillfully balanced on the very tip of a high tree branch, and with his keen Elven eyesight spotted a fat squirrel chattering about the underbrush about 50 yards away. He poised his arrow, slowly drew back his arm, but just as he released the arrow Gimli spotted the same squirrel and attempted to pounce upon it. Legolas cried out in warning, but the arrow flew swiftly and hit its mark well. He vividly remembered Gimli moaning in pain and rolling on to his back, and he remembered himself rushing to his friend's aid. Gimli whispered one word, and then seemed to fall asleep. Then he was very cold, and all Legolas could hear was the sound of his own rapidly beating heart as he watched the color drain from the dwarf's hairy face. The last thing he remembered was seeing a Mirkwood arrow sticking out of a red stain in Gimli's shirt.  
  
"Legolas!" The voice snapped him out of his private thoughts, and Legolas looked around curiously for the source of the voice. He was standing next to a dark, glassy pool of water that was veiled with foliage and a thin stream that was circumnavigated by three slick stones.  
  
"Le-go-las! You have got to be around somewhere!" For some reason he was having trouble connecting that voice to a face. Was it Creladriel? No, her voice is much deeper than the one he just heard. The voice actually sounded a bit like his mother's, distinctly feminine yet very commanding.  
  
"If you are not searching for me by now, then you are a terrible boyfriend!" Laicaliel! That was something that only she would dare to insinuate to royalty. Of course he didn't take offense to it; on the contrary, he thought her courage was rather endearing. He quickly set off to the direction that he heard her voice come from. 


	7. Throwing Rocks at People's Necks

Chapter 7  
  
"Ai!" What are those?" Luiduin cried out in pain and gagged slightly as a third stone flew swiftly and hit him in the neck.  
  
"Rocks! And I will continue pelting you with them until you let me be on my way!" Laicaliel carefully squatted and pried another loose stone from the edge of the pillar; she stood up once more, and gripped the large rock tightly in her fist.  
  
"Corogir, why can't we hit her back? There are loads 'a rocks 'round here!" pleaded the Man. He was gingerly touching a swollen black bruise on his shoulder.  
  
The tall, stately Elf replied with a sigh. "You must never strike a lady, unless she has gone violently mad. Did you not learn that during whatever education Men bestow upon their young?"  
  
WHAP! A rock smacked the Man across the side of his head and skipped off into the distance. The Man shrieked in pain and fell to his knees, cursing bitterly in his native tongue.  
  
"THAT is why you must never strike a lady. She will most definitely retaliate," remarked Laicaliel with her hands resting proudly upon her soft hips. Luiduin knelt next to the poor moaning victim and gently removed the Man's hand from his temple so that the wound could be properly inspected (Elves have a natural desire to heal). However, Luiduin pushed the Man away at once and grumbled reproachfully.  
  
"There is not even a bruise, you andodulin! Judging by the way you were screaming, I thought you were apt to die!" Luiduin skulked off and sat several yards away from the edge of the cliff. The Man whimpered pitifully and curled into the fetal position. Corogir sighed once more and prepared a small mattress out of rolled up blankets that Luiduin and he could share for the quickly approaching night.  
  
***  
  
By the next afternoon, Laicaliel was growing frustrated at the three men's heckles. Whenever she would mention Legolas, they would burst into laughter. She decided to call his name one more time, and if he didn't respond she would attempt a daring escape.  
  
"LEGOLAS! Damn you!" she cried miserably.  
  
"Keep shouting, I will find you faster!" called a deep, clear, male's voice from very far away.  
  
Corogir, Luiduin, and the Man gasped. Was that Legolas? But- that would be impossible! How could Laicaliel ever possibly meet the famed Prince, much less begin to court him? They quickly leapt to their feet and leaned over the edge of the cliff, waiting anxiously for more signs of Legolas's existence.  
  
Laicalel's eyes grew bright and watery at the sound of Legolas's voice, and a bounty of hope sprang into her heart. "What do you want me to shout?" she yelled in no particular direction.  
  
"Anything! Scream me a song, if you like!" came his humorous reply. His voice still sounded very muffled and distant, as if spoken through a wall.  
  
The small Elf chuckled and cleared her throat exaggeratedly. She drew a deep breath. "There once was a girl from Old Natchez Whose clothes were always in patches When asked by some moles About all the big holes She replied, 'When I itches, I scratches!'"  
  
She had barely finished the limerick when she heard Legolas's musical laughter from somewhere nearby. She grinned; she had never heard him laugh before.  
  
"What kind of a song was that?" demanded Luiduin with a look of confused disgust on his fair Elven face. Corogir was now even more convinced that his friend's daughter had lost her mind. No self-respecting Elf would sing such a bawdy song as that.  
  
Minutes later, a tall blonde Elf picked his way through a tangle of branches and sticks and into the small meadow in which the pillar of stone was situated. He looked up and saw Laicaliel looking very pale and sick but smiling gratefully at him. He then shifted his blue gaze to the left and saw two Elves and a Man standing on the edge of a cliff over a narrow river. He immediately felt anger rise in his chest and called to the men. "Why is she trapped up there like that? Is this your doing?"  
  
The two Elves exchanged worried glances, and then Corogir dared to answer. "We did not force her up there. She chose to resist our advances, and she got herself stuck."  
  
Legolas pulled an arrow out of his quiver and aimed his loaded bow at the trio faster than a human eye could blink. "What kind of advances?"  
  
It was Laicaliel who stopped Legolas from killing them. "No, they were not trying to harm me! The Elves are friends of my father, and the Man is their companion. They wanted to bring me home to marry a lord- you know Beldan, right?"  
  
Legolas nodded. "We were friends during my childhood." He dropped his weapons and looked up at Laicaliel, opening up his arms. "Jump down, I will catch you."  
  
She hesitated. "I have been standing still for five days. I do not trust my legs to function properly."  
  
"I promise I will catch you. Trust me, just throw yourself off." She took a deep breath and leapt off the rock, and felt herself land heavily in a pair of strong arms. Glancing up bashfully, she met Legolas's cheery blue eyes and relieved smile. "I told you I would catch you." Acting on an impulse, Laicaliel wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his. They were both shy, so the kiss was quick but it had done its toll. Legolas's porcelain cheeks had turned scarlet, and Laicaliel couldn't think of a word to say. They both laughed nervously and averted their eyes.  
  
Suddenly Legolas's muscles grew tense and he set Laicaliel on the soft ground. Then he dashed across the meadow and stood at the edge of the riverbed, looking up at the cliff face. "Where have you cowards gone?" There was no sign of her three peaceful hunters save a scrap of food left by the Man. Legolas leapt across the river and clung to the front of the rock face, deftly climbing up it like a spider. He pulled himself atop the cliff, then stood up and looked around. "They have left. Do you wish for me to pursue them?" There was no response from the meadow. "Laicaliel?" He turned around to see her digging furiously through his pack, then triumphantly pull out a wafer of lembas. She hastily tore off the covering of Lorien leaves and ripped off a chunk of the waybread with her teeth. Legolas smiled again and leapt gracefully off the cliff, just missing the river as he landed primly on the edge of the meadow. He strolled towards Laicaliel and sat down on the grass very near her. "Hungry?"  
  
She nodded shakily and swallowed hard before replying. "I was up there for quite a while. I could not sleep, I could not eat, I could not drink, and I could not sit down. So yes, I am extremely hungry. Famished, if you will."  
  
Rather amused, Legolas quietly surveyed her for several minutes while she finished off the lembas, then handed her the canteen of water before she could ask for it. She chugged the entire gallon of water, then collapsed upon her side on the grass. "You look exhausted," remarked Legolas. Laicaliel nodded again, and stared at him as he fingered a small pink flower.  
  
"Why are you here?" she asked. It was a simple question; yet it struck Legolas heavily.  
  
"You mean here, in the meadow with you?"  
  
"No, in Rivendell. Remember when you talked to me in the infirmary, and you told me that you were here to be healed? What are you trying to be healed of? You look fine to me." She wriggled about on her side until she could rest her head in Legolas's lap. Once there, she gazed up at him curiously. "Tell me."  
  
He was silent for a moment as he ran his fingers through her silky dark hair and collected his thoughts. "I killed my best friend."  
  
Laicaliel's bottle-green eyes shot open and she stared aghast at Legolas, her jaw hanging open. "No. I could never imagine you doing something like that!" Legolas didn't like the way that she was looking at him; it was a mix of disbelief and terror. He leaned back on his elbows, causing Laicaliel to have to remove her head from his hips and re-adjust herself so that she could lay adjacent to him on the grass.  
  
"I never said that I did it purposefully. He stepped in the way of one of my arrows." His dark, thick eyelashes fluttered to a close and he sighed deeply. "It has taken me many years to overcome that. After the incident, I was found by a friend of mine and he brought me to Rivendell. So, to answer your question, I am being healed of dark emotions." Laicaliel was unusually quiet, and Legolas regretted telling her the sordid tale so bluntly. "You do not speak because you are afraid of me."  
  
Once again, the female Elf did not immediately respond. She sat up onto her bottom, brushing off the end of her dress, then leaned over Legolas and placed her right hand upon his chest. "I am not afraid of anything." She tried to stand fully upright, but only succeeded for several seconds before her muscles gave out and she crashed onto the ground. "Smooth, Laicaliel; very smooth," she muttered to herself as she tried dejectedly to pull the weeds and sticks out of her hair.  
  
"You were standing still for nearly a week; it is no wonder that your legs are weary. Here, let me help you." Legolas stood up and held out an open hand, and Laicaliel reluctantly accepted. She faltered for a moment under her own weight, but Legolas gently picked her up and cradled her in one arm like a child as he packed up his stuff (which Laicaliel had recklessly strewn across the meadow in her desperate search for sustenance). He swung his pack over one shoulder and shifted Laicaliel so that he could carry her with both arms. "It took me nearly a day to find you. The sun is now almost set, and I fear we may have to spend the night in the forest somewhere on the way back to Rivendell."  
For the next several hours, Legolas lightly stepped through the grassy underbrush of the dense forest. Soon the golden afternoon light ceased to shimmer between the trunks of the trees, and everything around him faded into indistinguishable shadowy figures. However, his keen Elvish sight allowed him to just barely see through the chill twilight fog, and when he shifted his gaze downward towards the slender creature that he carried in his arms he noticed that she was asleep. Her skin was soft and pale in the waning blue twilight, and her small hands were unconsciously clutching the fabric of his shirt- he would have been wearing his cloak, but that was wrapped around Laicaliel like a blanket. A small part of him wished that she was awake so that he could talk to her and perhaps sneak a kiss, but she needed her rest so he did not stir her.  
He continued to walk until all sources of light died away save the natural white light that emanated from his Elven body. He could see almost nothing in the oppressive black darkness except the green and yellow shimmers of light that reflected off the eyes of the forest's natural inhabitants. Naturally, he was determined to not stop walking until he reached Rivendell, but as soon as he nearly collided with a tree he decided to halt and wait until the sun began to rise so he could continue safely. He laid the small Elf-maiden on the ground leaning against the trunk of the tree that he almost ran into, and stood vigil next to her. 


End file.
